


Cat of Gotham

by oversizedmelancholy



Category: DCU, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bruce has many regrets, Comedy, Family Complex, Fluff, Gen, Grudges, Running, Selina is always hungry, Training, We all need a hug, can they all chill, can zsasz chill, dad!Jim Gordon, its what she deserves, let Selina have nice things, penguin is so extra, protective older sister! Tabitha, she needs a hug, we love him for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-05-20 11:16:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14893601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oversizedmelancholy/pseuds/oversizedmelancholy
Summary: -SET AFTER SEASON THREE--Previously a one-shot, I've decided to add on!-Selina is living with Tabitha, the bossy mentor and older sister she never wanted. She and Bruce are not on speaking terms and Sonny got his feelings hurt. Choas ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

 

"Again!"

Selina launched towards Tabitha. She landed a punch into Tabitha's stomach then dropped into a crouch, swinging her leg out to hit Tabitha's shins. She jumped over Selina's legs and kicked the side of Selina's face, sending the girl flying. 

Selina growled and bounced back to her feet, only to see Tabitha running towards her. She waited until Tabitha was a breath away from her then ducked down, causing the woman to run into her and stumble. Selina delivered a perfect round-house kick to Tabitha's neck and followed her across the ring as she hit the ground. As Tabitha got back up, the girl wrapped her legs around her waist with a running start, knocking them both to the ground. Selina wrapped her fingers around Tabitha's neck and squeezed lightly. 

Tabitha grinned at her with bleeding lips. 

"Good. Better." Selina climbed off her mentor and helped the woman up. The exited the ring and Selina grabbed her sweat towel and water bottle from the bench, joining Tabitha on the side of the wall. 

"Sorry about your lip," Selina said after a while. Tabitha raised an eyebrow at the girl, who had a black eye and busted lip herself. 

"Likewise," Tabitha scoffed. Selina gulped down more water then poured some onto her head, sighing in relief. 

"Are we gonna go again?"

Tabitha laughed. "Hell no, I'm beaten. And hungry." Selina's eyes gleamed at the mention of food. 

"Pizza?" she suggested hopefully. Tabitha reached over and ruffled the girl's sweaty curls.

"Sure kid, you worked hard today." Selina frowned.

"I work hard every day." 

"Whatever."

-

-

Selina watched the neon sign on the wall flicker as Tabitha and she waited for their pizza. 

"What do you want for your birthday?"

Selina let out a surprised cough.

"My birthday?"

Tabitha nodded and folded her hands expectantly. 

"Um..." Selina glanced at the whip beside her, worn and frayed from use. 

"A new whip? Oh, and some more eyeliner. Possibly some new boots. And a new cat."

"No more cats." Tabitha countered immediately.

Selina smirked. "Whatever."

The waitress came back with their pizza. Selina inhaled deeply then moaned. 

"Oh my god, that smells amazing." She had just finished off her second piece and was reaching for a third when Tabitha suddenly stiffened, glaring behind the girl's shoulder. Selina's hand flew to her whip and she spun around as much as the booth would let her. Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock entered the diner. 

"Look what the cat dragged in..." Tabitha muttered.

"I didn't invite them!"

Jim took a seat by Selina and Harvey scooted in beside Tabitha. The tall beauty scowled and moved as far away as the booth would let her. 

"Believe me, I don't want to be here either," Harvey assured her. Jim gave him a sarcastic smile. 

"Thanks."

Selina sipped a long drink of coke through her straw, then placed it back on the table.

"Wassup?"

Jim turned to her. 

"Selina, how have you been?"

"Chillin'."

"This isn't a social visit, we all know that," Tabitha said impatiently, "what do you want?"

"Someone put a hit out on Selina." Harvey blurted. 

"What??" Selina and Tabitha said together.

"Why?" Selina asked. 

"Who?" Tabitha demanded.

"That's why we came here," Jim said. "We were hoping you might have an idea." 

Selina shrugged. "Lots of people don't like me. Could've been anyone." Selina suddenly sat up straight. 

"Tabitha, we have to go."

"Wait, what-" Jim started, but Selina was already halfway out the door, pizza tray in hand. 

"Ma'am, you can't take that-" the waitress protested, but the door slammed shut. 

"Teenagers," Tabitha groaned and followed Selina out the door.

"You're paying!" she called behind her. 

Jim scowled and slapped a twenty on the table, hurrying to follow them. Harvey watched his partner hustle out the door and laughed in disbelief. The waitress looked at him, frazzled.

"Can I get you anything, sir?"

"Actually, a banana split sounds great, thanks."

-

-

When Tabitha got back to the apartment that she shared with Selina, the girl was already packing a bag. 

"Where are you going?"

"I know who wants to kill me."

Tabitha visibly blanched. 

"Who?"

"Sonny Gilzeane." 

" _Gilzeane?"_

"Yeah, he's Butch's nephew. He used to mess with me all the time. But last time he tried, I mopped the floor with him and his men. But it turns out, he just got a contract from Penguin. Meaning that if he killed me-"

"No one would be allowed to do anything about it." Tabitha finished.

Selina nodded and slipped a magazine into a handgun then tucked it into the waistband of her jeans. 

"And I haven't given Penguin a reason to like me either, so it makes sense that he'd let them." 

Tabitha scowled and grabbed Selina's hands, keeping her from packing. Selina wretched her hands away with a glare.

"Let me talk to Butch. He can tell Sonny to lay off." 

Selina considered. 

"And if he doesn't?" 

"You're not a street kid anymore, Selina. You've got rep. All the girls in the Narrows look up to you." Selina's head snapped up so fast her curls bounced.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I went down there a couple days ago and girls were wearing more leather and cutting their hair short, just like you. I even saw a few trying their hand at a whip. You worked hard and you moved up. You started at the bottom and clawed your way to the top. They're starting to realize that maybe they can, too."

Selina smiled slightly.

"Cool."

Tabitha snorted.

"Everyone freeze - Selina Kyle just smiled." Selina gave a full-blown grin this time and shoved Tabitha in the shoulder.

"Shut up."

-

-

"Master B, what are we doing here?" 

Bruce and Alfred were at a table in Penguins club, snacking on a shared shrimp cocktail.

"We need to figure out what that license was for. It was from Penguin, so here would probably be the best place to start looking for answers."

Suddenly, the thick oak doors of the club were burst open. Tabitha Galavan and Butch Gilzeane stalked in, both looking pissed off.

"Oh, here we go," Alfred muttered.

"Butch, Tabitha, what a love surprise!" Penguin cried sarcastically. He limped over to meet them. "What can I do for you?"

"We need to see Sonny Gilzeane." Penguin smiled with sarcastic sympathy.

"Now, now, Butch, I don't babysit your family for you. But he just so happens to be here. He's finalizing his most recent request pertaining to his license."

Bruce and Alfred shared a glance. So Penguin  _was_ in charge of the licenses.

"That's what we're here to talk about, actually." Penguin nodded to a man by the counter and he walked to the private booths in the back, presumably to get Sonny.

"His most recent request was-if I remember correctly, to kill some girl. The kitty. What was her name?"

"Selina," Tabitha spat.

"Ah, yes, Selina."

Bruce and Alfred shared an alarmed stare. 

"Why would Sonny Gilzeane want to kill Selina?" Bruce frowned. 

"They hate each other, but I never really thought he'd kill her. She must have stolen something from him.."

Sonny rambled into the room, grinning when he saw his uncle. 

"Uncle Butch!" he continued to amble towards them, "And who is this tall glass of water?" He reached a hand out to touch Tabitha's face but she slapped it away, glaring at him. 

"Try to touch me again and you lose a hand." Sonny laughed nervously but stepped back all the same, glancing at his uncle. 

"Is she serious?"

"Yep."

Tabitha stepped closer to Sonny and he stared nervously up at her. 

"Call off the hit on Selina," Tabitha ordered. Butch sputtered in surprise.

"You put a hit out on that girl? Are you nuts?"

Sonny scoffed. "Selina is all talk, no bite. She can throw a decent punch, but she's tiny. Street trash. The world would be better without bitches like her."

Tabitha slapped him so hard it echoed throughout the club. All eyes were on them now. Bruce's hands were clenched in white-knuckled fist, his face flushed with anger. Even Alfred, who had never been Selina's biggest fan, looked properly scandalized. 

"I've seen that girl take out five men twice her age, height, and weight and make it look like a dance number. Either call off the hit and save us all the trouble, or don't and let Selina take out every single person you send at her." Tabitha shouted. Sonny looked terrified. He looked to his uncle for help. 

"Don't look at me Sonny, I like the kid. And Tabitha would never let me forget it if I let a curl on her head get hurt." Tabitha shoved Sonny into the bar and grabbed his meaty throat. Butch put a hand on her shoulder.

"Tabby, he's still family.." he reminded her. Penguin stepped towards the group. 

"If you're going to fight, please take it outside. The floors just got waxed." 

"Okay, okay!" Sonny begged. Tabitha let him go and he fell to his knees, gasping for air like a fish. 

"It's too late," he wheezed, "I already hired the guy."

"Who? Who did you hire?" Tabitha yelled.

"Zsasz," he chocked out.

" _Shit!"_  Tabitha cried, then fled the room. Bruce and Alfred stared at the scene with shock.

"If Zsasz really does kill Selina," Butch said to Sonny, "there's literally nothing I can do to stop her from tearing you apart." Butch loaded his gun and ran after Tabitha.

"Shame, really," Penguin told no one, "the kitty was starting to grow on me. Like seeing a cat around."

Bruce snapped back around to Alfred.

"What should we do?"

"Well, Bruce I don't think there's much we can do," Alfred admitted. "You know Zsasz. He doesn't leave jobs unfinished, no matter how hard his target fights."

Bruce growled in frustration and carded a hand through his hair. 

"Besides," Alfred continued, "after what you told me happened at the hospital, I doubt Miss Kyle would be very happy to see you."

"But if she gets killed and I never get to apologize? I never get to.." He pulled at his hair, stressed. "I just know that I can't sit by while Selina may or may not be dead. Or dying."

Alfred stood. 

"Alright then, let's go". Right as they exited the building they were met with Jim and Harvey. 

"Did you hear? About Selina?" Bruce asked hurriedly.

"Yes. Come with us."

They all piled in the GCPD car and it sped away, siren blaring. 

-

-

Selina clicked her tongue and her four cats came padding towards her. She placed the saucer of milk on the floor and stroked her favorite, a black and white cat named Ollie. She heard the lock click and the door swing open. 

"Tabitha?" she called. No response. Selina stood up and grabbed her whip. 

"Tabitha?"

Victor Zsasz stood in the middle of her kitchen. 

"Not quite."

 

 

 


	2. Wait For It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHAHAHAHA you thought I was gone. Honestly, me too. The fact that I haven't written any batcat in a while is mindblowing in itself. And the only reason I had this as a one shot was because I was too lazy to do a second or third part. But I read this last night and I was like 'well damn this is good stuff' and I felt it deserved another chapter or two. I had the idea for the second chapter while playing Call of Duty of all things. 
> 
> OH WELL I'm really excited for you to read this!! Enjoy!!!

 

As far as Selina was concerned, she was way too young to die. It was quite a shocking realization that hit her like a brick when she came face-to-face with Gotham's own bald psycho. She'd lived a sad, lonely life. And it was just starting to get better. She shifted in her boots and willed her mind to come up with something. The boots she bought with actual money. Her money. Yeah, she had that now.

"Seems like Sonny has friends in high places now," she said. Zsaz kept a neutral smile. "Since when are you Penguin's errand boy?" At that, Zsaz chuckled. 

"Since when are you Barbra Keane's?" Despite the situation, Selina bristled. 

"We're partners. Equals." Zsaz spread his pistol-full hands in surrender. He swayed to the right of the island in the kitchen and she scurried to the left.  _Cat and mouse_ , something in her head whispered. She just wasn't used to being the mouse. Something akin to pride shot through her. She was the cat. The girl that had scraped by at all cost. The girl no one could catch. The girl who moved like smoke, who thrived in the shadows. 

And she'd be damned if this bald, smiley motherfucker was the one to kill her. Hired by  _Sonny,_ of all people. She made a quick mental vow that she would tie him up in a warehouse and drag his death out for days if she got out of this. Not if, she chastised herself. When. 

 

Zsaz seemed to notice the change in her attitude. 

"Selina, you've had a good run. And I like you, kid. You remind me a bit of me, just with hair. I'll make it quick, worry not." Selina held back a biting retort and glanced towards the window. She knew about seven feet down from the window was a fire escape. Then another ten-foot drop and she would land in a dumpster, and underneath that dumpster was a red burner phone and a loaded Glock 17. Tabitha and Selina had placed little bits of supplies around the neighborhood in case they needed to run. Her eyes flicked back to Zsaz, who was fortunately currently fixated on the baseball game softly playing in the den. His hands were down at his side, but she knew that faster than she could blink they could be up and firing. 

But this could be the only chance she'd get. Ollie rubbed against her leg, choppy purrs coming from the cat. Tabitha had said he sounded like a broken lawnmower, and Selina begrudgingly agreed. She didn't think Zsaz would hurt her cats. He was one of the few hired killers in Gotham she knew had just a bit of morality. No, he wouldn't hurt her cats unless he had to. That decided it. 

Without a moment's hesitation, Selina hurtled across the room and jumped through the window, biting her lip to keep from yelping as bits of glass lodged themselves in her arms, neck, and face. She swung over the railing of the fire escape and fell into the dumpster. Not checking behind her, she struggled out of the dumpster and swiped the phone and gun, then took off down the alley. She heard the clang of a fire escape then a muffled fall and ran faster. 

"Move!" She yelled to pedestrians, who just cursed and snarled at her. She shrugged. Their loss. Gunshots fired down the road and they all screamed and scattered. She could have grinned as she ran. She stopped for only a second, then ducked down another alley and swung up onto the fire escape. There was a boy who looked her age strumming a guitar. She shoved him inside his window.

"If you know what's good for you, lock the window," she hissed, then jumped up and flipped onto the next level of the fire escape. She repeated the action until she was on the roof, feeling his dark, startled eyes follow her up. Selina heard three quick gunshots, then a surprised yelp from the boy, followed by a distinctly acoustic bang. She ran to the edge of the roof and looked down. The boy stared in shock at the broken guitar in his hands and the unconscious killer on his fire escape. A surprised but delighted laugh tumbled from her lips and she jumped off the roof, falling until she reached his level of the fire escape then grabbing the railing. She hefted herself over and laughed again when she realized what he'd done. 

"You knocked Zsaz out. With a guitar." The boy shook his head, then looked down, and nodded in agreement. 

"Oh, he's gonna be so mad when he wakes up. He'll probably kill you." The boy dropped the rest of his guitar. It clattered sadly onto the rusted metal. 

"What!" he cried, shaking his head again as if this would somehow change Zsaz's mind, "Nah, I got a grandmother to take care of, my mama too. A little brother." Selina peeked in the apartment and sniffed, then wrinkled her nose. Definitely old people. She reached over and searched Zsaz's trenchcoat, find three fat rolls. She took two and handed the boy one. Then, after a moments consideration, she handed the boy one of hers. He stared at the money then dropped it as if it burned. 

"I got my money straight. That's blood money right there," he said, shaking his head. His fluffy dark hair bounced with the movement. Selina shrugged and scooped the money up. 

"Suit yourself." She moved past him and stepped into his apartment. It was cozy and small, with flickering yellow lights and thick blankets of yarn adding color wherever you looked. A fluffy black dog raised his aging silver flecked head to look at her, then huffed and laid his head down on his massive paws. She spotted a large pound cake on the counter and squeaked, rushing towards it. She tore off a chunk and ate it in two huge bites, and tearing off another chunk as the boy came in. He looked ready to protest when he saw her, but glanced at her whip and the bloody lines from the broken glass on her body and said nothing. She polished off her thrid chunk of cake and sighed happily. 

"Do you have a rope?" He started, then nodded, leaving for a moment and coming back with a pile of thick black cord. She nodded her thanks and then climbed back out on the fire escape, taking all of Zsaz's exessive weaponry away before wrapping him in the cord like a mummy. 

"So what's your name, kid?" She asked as she tied Zsaz up. 

"Ty." He said. "Ty Walker." She finished the ropes of Zsaz then climbed back into his apartment. Unwrapping the fold of bills, she laid them on the counter and turned back to him. 

"Well, Ty Walker, you seem nice. Sorry about your guitar." She reached over and tore of another chunck of cake. "And the cake. Did Zsaz see your face?" He shook his head, still looking dazed. 

"Great. Then you're in the clear." Selina really hated having other people involved in her messes, but to be fair, she tried to get him out. She walked over to him and gave him a short hug. She felt the corded muscle under his hoddie and guessed that he could handle himself in a fight. He was tall. Broad shoulders, big hands, but kind eyes. She pulled away and patted his shoulder. 

"See you around." She climbed out the window for the last time and almost screamed.

 

Zsaz was gone. 

 

"Oh  _shit!"_ she breathed, then turned back to Ty.

"It's not his M.O to go after civilians, you'll be alright." 

"What about you?" he asked. She smiled at him sarcastically. 

"I'll be fine." She hoped. With that, she climbed back onto the roof and searched the streets. No one looked alarmed, so Zsaz wasn't making a scene. She had his guns, so he'd have to go back to either Barbra or Penguin for more. They'd both give him what he needed, but Barbra would probably find a way to tell her. A small, ginger tabby sauntered over to her and lazily rubbed her face against Selina's boot. She stroked the cat distractedly, thinking of what to do. Who to go to. She couldn't go to the cops. No, they'd do something stupid like try to protect her. As much as she hated to admit it, she wanted Harvey and Jim alive. Especially Harvey, as she thought back to all the times he'd slipped her a donut from the reck room when she'd come to the station.

Bruce? She wanted to snarl as her mind gave a firm no. Anyone but him. She couldn't think about him without wanting to shatter something. 

Right now, she decided her goal should be to get as far away from Ty as possible. She found a wayward receipt and scribbled a message into it, holding it in place with two of Zsaz's guns. Hopefully, Tabitha would find it. With that, she leaped onto the next building, then the building after that. Heading towards Sonny Gilzean. A wicked grin spread on her face as she considered what she would do to him, and how much time it would take. Night slowly fell onto Gotham as she finished her plan. 

She would lead them all to the Narrows. Her terf. Her battleground. Where she'd been born and raised, where she'd been molded into a fighter. A survivor. She knew every streetlight, every shadow, every crack in the sidewalk. Every drug dealer and thug. Every saint and sinner knew her name. And if they knew anything about her, it was that Selina Kyle did not go down without a fight. 

They'd never see her coming.

-

-

The citizens of the Narrows gaped in shock at the ragtag search party as they combed their way through the streets. Anyone they told wouldn't believe that boy billionaire Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Harvey Bullock, Tabitha Galavan, and Jim Gordon-yes,  _the_ Jim Gordon, were patrolling the streets, searching for Selina Kyle. After the first few people they'd harassed, the members of the Narrows got the hint and send a couple representatives to tell them what they knew. 

Which was nothing. 

Tabitha led them to her shared apartment. They walked in on a shattered window and four very alarmed cats. But no Selina. Tabitha crossed the space and crawled onto the fire escape, then jumped down beside the dumpster. She crouched and peeked under, then stood up. 

"She took the burner phone and gun we had stashed under here for emergencies," she told them. Jim frowned and examined the window sill, then stopped when he saw specked blood on the chipped paint. 

"She's hurt," he rasped. Bruce pushed through and looked at the blood, his face growing tight with worry and rage. Alfred put a reassuring hand on the teenager's shoulder. Tabitha climbed back into the window and scowled at the gathered party. 

"You can go now." 

"If you think we're leaving that poor girl to die," Alfred said, "you're wrong." Tabitha laughed and crossed the room again, picking select guns and slipping them into holsters around her waist. 

"You've done it before. All of you," she said. Her whipped snapped into a neat circle and she secured it into her belt. "Why does it bother you now?" She was met with silence. 

"That's what I thought." she snapped, then climbed back out the window. Bruce felt guilt weighing on him so heavy he thought he would throw up. The things he'd done and said to her... 

 

Unforgivable. They were unforgivable. If he thought so, there was no doubt in his mind that she agreed. 

 

"She's cold as ice," Harvey pondered after Tabitha. He glanced around at the downtrodden group. Jim's fist were clenched and he was frowning at the ground. They both cared for the kid, but Jim had assumed a sense of responsibility for her that Harvey had never understood. 

"Okay," he started, "let's get some grub, then regroup. Tabitha may be right, but I'd say it's high time to prove her wrong." He ushered them out the door then into the car they'd come in, then into a dingy grill at the outskirts of the Narrows. 

"Okay, so I'm guessing that she won't go down without a fight, correct?" Harvey asked. Bruce nodded along with Alfred. 

"Never," Jim said. A young waiter came to take their drink orders, then he spotted Jim and Harvey when he looked up from his notepad. 

"Oh Jesus, thank goodness you're here. You know about Cat, right? And Zsaz?" It was as if someone had turned a light switch on. The group collectively sat up, then forwards, leaning towards their waiter. 

"I'm Macky," he introduced. "The guy who got shoved through a window and almost kidnapped," Harvey remembered him. He'd gained a lot of weight since he'd last seen the kid, but he recognized him clear as day. 

"Oh..." Jim said. 

"Well," Macky started, making Bruce scoot over so he could take a seat at the booth. By the time he was settled, Bruce was practically on his butler's lap. "Pinto heard from Freight who heard from Ernesto who swears that Peachy said that Danny saw her with _Ty Walker_." His eyes lit up with scandal. "Apparently, Ty knocked some bald guy who was chasing Cat out with his guitar!" He exclaimed. "Which is super weird, because Ty broke off ages ago and was all like 'oh I'm so good I take care of my family and have real money' but  _anyway_ Cat apparently robbed the guy and took his money and guns and left a note on the roof." He blinked, as if realizing something, then turned to Bruce. 

"You're the boy billionaire, right? Bruce?" The boy in question nodded. Macky's round face split into a grin. "Oh buddy, she's pissed at you," he said, then considered his audience, "All of you. Cat said so in the note."

"Do you have the note?"Jim asked. Macky reached into his grease-spotted apron and pulled out a crumpled receipt, then handed it to Jim. He spread it out on the table and read the small, choppy handwriting out loud. 

 

" _If Tabby is reading this, good. I tied Zsaz up but he got away somehow. Don't worry though, I got a plan._

_If this is anyone but a Narrows kid or Tabby, you've got better things to do._

_If this is a narrows kid, do me a solid and get this to Tabby._

_If this is Bruce Wayne, go jump off the roof._

_And if this is Sonny?_

_Say your prayers._

_-Cat "_

 

Macky whistled. "Oh boy, we're all excited. Cat's got style. She's gonna whoop Sonny's ass so hard," he giggled. 

"Do you know where she'll make her move?" Macky shook his head. "At night is all we know. That's Cat's thing. Kinda creepy, though. She can see in the dark, did you know that?" Jim nodded.

"So I've been told." A red-faced man barked something at Macky and he got up and took the notepad. 

"I'll get the drinks. There's nothing anyone can really do once Cat's got her mind made. Just wait till night." Macky ambled off to get their drinks with an excited grin. 

Just wait till night. 

_-_

-

 


End file.
